Iberis plant named ‘IB2401’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Iberis  plant named ‘IB2401’, characterized by its compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy habit; and dark violet-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Iberis hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘IB2401’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Iberisplant, botanically known as Iberis hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘IB2401’.

The new Iberis plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new freely branching Iberis plants withunique flower colors.

The new Iberis plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor during the spring of 2004 in Gensingen, Germany of twounidentified selections of Iberis hybrida, not patented. The new Iberisplant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single floweringplant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled environment in Gensingen, Germany in 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Iberis plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Gensingen, Germany since 2006, has shown thatthe unique features of this new Iberis plant are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Iberis have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environmental conditions such as temperature and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘IB2401’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘IB2401’ as a new and distinct Iberis plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant        habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy habit.    -   4. Dark violet-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Iberis differ from plants of the parent selectionsprimarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Iberis are more freely branching than        plants of the parent selections.    -   2. Plants of the new Iberis and the parent selections differ in        flower color.

Plants of the new Iberis can be compared to plants of Iberissempervirens ‘White Lace’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Iberis differed fromplants of ‘White Lace’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Iberis flowered later than plants of ‘White        Lace’.    -   2. Plants of the new Iberis and ‘White Lace’ differed in flower        color as plants of ‘White Lace’ had white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Iberis can also be compared to plants of Iberissempervirens ‘Alexander's White’, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Iberisdiffered from plants of ‘Alexander's White’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Iberis flowered later than plants of        ‘Alexander's White’.    -   2. Plants of the new Iberis and ‘Alexander's White’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘Alexander's White’ had white-colored        flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Iberis plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Iberis plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘IB2401’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘IB2401’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following descriptionwere grown under conditions which closely approximate commercialproduction conditions during the spring in 20-cm containers in anoutdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of the plants,day temperatures averaged 29° C. and night temperatures averaged 4° C.Plants were pinched one time and were 14 months old when the photographsand description were taken. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Iberis hybrida ‘IB2401’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified selection of Iberis            hybrida, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified selection of Iberis            hybrida, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About 10 to 14            days at 24° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at 24° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About three to            four weeks at 24° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial; compact, upright,            outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous            growth habit; freely branching habit; about nine primary            branches develop per plant each with about six to eight            secondary laterals; dense and bushy habit.        -   Plant height.—About 16 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 35 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 18 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 6 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect: Upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture, young.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Texture, older.—Woody.        -   Color, young.—Close to 146C.        -   Color, older.—Close to 199B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 4.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 8 mm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly spatulate.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate; slightly decurrent.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; tough,            leathery.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close            to 147A; venation, close to 147B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Small, asymmetrical            cruciferous flowers arranged in short terminal racemes;            flowers develop acropetally towards the apex; flowers face            outwardly to upright; freely flowering habit with about 65            flowers per inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower during the spring in            California.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven days on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 4.7 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.3 cm.        -   Flower width.—About 7 mm to 11 mm.        -   Flower length.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 9 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Oval. Color: Close to N87D.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Four petals; two smaller upper petals            and two larger lower petals. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded.            Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Length: Upper petals: About            6 mm. Lower petals: About 1 cm. Width: Upper petals: About            3 mm. Lower petals: About 5 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to NN155D tinted irregularly with            close to N87D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 83B;            color becoming closer to 83D with development. Fully opened,            lower surface: Centers and towards the base, close to            NN155D; towards the margins and apex, tinted with close to            N87B to N87D.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Calyx cup-shaped with four sepals in a            single whorl. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:            Elliptical. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper surface: Close to 194B. Color, lower surface: Close to            146D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Angle: Mostly upright. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous; longitudinal ridges. Color: Close to 146B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:            Erect to 90° from peduncle axis. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 146B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Six per            flower. Filament length: About 1.5 mm. Filament color: Close            to 145C. Anther shape: Ligulate. Anther length: About 1 mm.            Anther color: Close to N144A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 160D. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.            Pistil length: About 6 mm. Style length: About 2.5 mm. Style            color: Close to N187B. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color:            Close to 195B. Ovary color: Close to 146C; towards the apex,            tinted with close to 187A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Iberis.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Iberis have not been    observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Iberis    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Iberis have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate wind and rain. Plants    of the new Iberis are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 4.

1. A new and distinct Iberis plant named ‘IB2401’ as illustrated anddescribed.